Migration of a Learning Object Repository: an Evaluation of the eNOSHA System and its Context Independency

Mozelius, Peter

Stockholm University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Computer and Systems Sciences.

Roy, Amit

University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Department of Computer Science.

Hettiarachchi, Enosha

Open University of Catalunya, , .

Suhonen, Jarkko

University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Department of Computer Science.

2011 (English)Conference paper, Published paper (Other academic)

Abstract [en]

The idea of storing and sharing digital content for e-learning has been widely discussed. At the University of Colombo, School of Computing (UCSC) a lot of learning objects have been developed during the last decade. Even in a well structured university environment it is not possible to have a rational control of content for hundreds of different e-learning courses without an appropriate system that provides searching and a metadata markup of the learning objects. This paper will analyze the eNOSHA Learning Object Repository (LOR) that was designed and developed at UCSC in Colombo Sri Lanka during 2008 – 2009. Even if this was a software project for a LOR based on the UCSC needs the ambition has always been to built the eNOSHA system as context independent as possible. Local adaptation of the system should be done from within the system without any changes in the source code. In our analysis we will assess if this works when the system is migrated to a university in another part of the world with a different culture and language situation. We will also scrutinize the installation process and test its user-friendliness. What could be improved in the eNOSHA system and is there a need for an extended version to provide context independency? Data for the analysis has been gathered by semi-structured interviews and system testing at the University of Eastern Finland. Based on the findings we find that the currently used version 1.6 of the eNOSHA system needs to be updated. There are no big crucial problems found, but if the system should live up to the original objectives on flexibility and user-friendliness the software would need some amendment for multi-language support. Some security issues were found and the system must be easier to install in the future. We have also found a need for some kind of integrated start-up instructions. A general code revision and a security test of the system would also improve the quality of the eNOSHA learning object repository. Though open source products often are created with a specific target audience in mind, it would be of interest to test this product with users outside the academic world.